Ummm....

So. I have an announcement.

Ready?

BAKING IS SOME SERIOUS HARD WORK.

We started off our morning, so full of optimism with a spring in our step and hot non-fat mochas (with whip, of course), in hand.  We darn near skipped from our car to the Elks front door.  We quickly made ourselves at home in our Elks kitchen and fired up our ovens to blind bake some shells.  Early morning, optimism, you are such a sweet thing.

As our day progressed, we fluted so many shells that I fear I suffered a fluting-related pinkie finger injury (is that a thing?).  We learned to use the commercial dishwasher (hint: I really need Santa to bring one of those to my house).  We held many tutorials so that Jeanne could learn to use the timer on her iPhone.  We stirred, melted, and chopped.  I seriously couldn't begin to guess how many pecans we chopped, but from my Sam's receipts (and the subsequent second trip I had to take there for more darn pecans), we used around 24 pounds.  Jeanne in action:

And let's talk about boxes for minute.  I anticipated a lot of things for our two days in the Elks Lodge commercial kitchen, but I never really lingered on the fact that we would have to assemble all of the boxes we would need for the finished pies.  We ordered some really cute chocolate brown 12x12x5 bakery boxes and some AH-MAZ-ING 3 1/2 inch stickers with our logo.  Both were delivered from the manufacturer today (whew!).  I can't remember what we paid for the boxes, but I am telling you, I would have paid TRIPLE if those suckers would have come pre-assembled.  We focused in and got 62 done before my fluting-related injury demanded no more.  I can feel the rest of those flat as a board, un-assembled boxes mocking me now from the Elks Event Center.  I'm pretty sure this doesn't happen to Pizza Hut.

But, honestly?  We had fun today.  Time flew by and it was dark outside before we knew it. Tomorrow will be THE DAY.  The go-big-or-go-home day.  The I-have-butter-on-my-shoes-and-flour-all-over-my-apron day.  The we-are-blessed-to-be-on-this-adventure-so-we-are-going-to-have-fun day.

And the very best part?  Of all the dough I rolled and fluted, no two pies looked alike.  Not a single pie.  I fluted 93 percent of our shells today and I can guarantee that no two look the same, even though it was I doing most of the fluting.  I love that about baking...each time through shows you in a little different perspective...

Send good vibes tomorrow!  We can't wait to see you all on Wednesday.